Tip for Livin' the Dream

In this day and age of minimal employment opportunities and maximum debts, more and more people may find themselves entertaining the option of moving back home to save money and lose their minds.  Today I will be helping those who make the leap backwards by coping with their perceived failure with humor.

It can be difficult to admit to other, successful human beings that you yourself have moved all of your possessions out of your cool, city apartment and into your parents' garage, but by approaching the topic with a joke, you can be assured to receive a laugh, followed by sympathy and encouragement from your conversation partner.

"But Taleen, I don't know which joke to tell!"  Don't worry, I will help you.  Just do what I do.  Kind of tell a lie.

When people ask me what I'm doing now I say this:  "Well, I moved back to Siouxland and I'm living in a house.  It's good, I've got three roommates, one is younger, she's going to school.  She's pretty cool.  The other two are older, and they're kind of a couple or something.  They're all right."

And all the while I say this people nod as if they're interested when you and I both know that they're kind of a little bored, because really, that previous statement was incredibly dull.

Then I say, "Yea.  I live at home with my parents."

Image you create

Actuality

(Kidding! My home life isn't like this. My dad doesn't have a mustache.)

And they look briefly shocked because they believed the story I already told!  Then they laugh because they know they've been had but it was all in good fun.  And now a comfortable environment has been set for them to joke with me about living at home and perhaps provide some advice and encouragement.  Everybody wins!